As 'Outlander' starts strong, Starz plays the niche TV game

LOS ANGELES, Sept 8 (Reuters) - A period drama set in the
Scottish Highlands, with a sassy female lead caught in a
star-crossed time-travel romance may prove to be a turning point
in the evolution of premium cable network Starz, as it faces an
uphill climb against its well-heeled rivals.

As basic cable and premium networks such as Twenty-First
Century Fox Inc's FX Networks, Time Warner Cable Inc's
HBO, CBS Corp's Showtime and Netflix Inc's
online streaming service ramp up original programming
to lure viewers, Starz is gaining a footing with the
genre-bending "Outlander."

A romance based on books by Diana Gabaldon, "Outlander" is
Starz's key product in drawing female viewers and part of its
strategy aimed at developing niche audiences.

It follows Claire, a married nurse in 1940s Britain who
finds herself transported back to 1700s Scotland during a second
honeymoon trip to the Highlands.

"We're focused on not trying to be everything for everybody,
but trying to have a couple of things that are really important
to every demographic group that we have," said Starz chief
executive Chris Albrecht.

Starz made "Outlander" available on its on-demand platforms
a week ahead of its Aug. 9 premiere, drawing 5 million total
viewers to date, the largest multi-platform audience in the
network's history. The show has averaged nearly 3 million
viewers tuning in to new episodes on the Starz flagship channel
each weekend since, and its second season has been greenlit.

Demand for period dramas was fueled by Emmy-winners such as
HBO's fantasy series "Game of Thrones" and PBS Masterpiece's
"Downton Abbey."

"There's an appetite for audiences who are willing to go to
places that take them out of their day-to-day reality and into
another world," said "Outlander" creator Ron Moore.

In "Outlander," as Claire attempts to return to her own
time, she must rely on her wits to survive among male-dominated
Scottish clans, although she finds herself falling for Jamie, a
rugged young warrior.

"It's quite unusual that we have a strong female character
at the center of the show," said actress Caitriona Balfe, who
plays Claire. "She's an everywoman."

Starz, founded in 1991 as the Encore Movie Group, has
evolved into multiple premium cable channels airing movies and
original programming, reaching 23 million homes.

The network previously gained attention for original shows
such as historical gladiator series "Spartacus" and regal saga
"The White Queen."

"As shows grow and stay on a few seasons, they'll expand to
demographics that didn't think they would appreciate it. There
are going to be more men watching 'Outlander,'" Albrecht added.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Gunna
Dickson)